State Secretary Hans Winkler signs the new country programme for Ethiopia

"Austria has set itself the target of making a sustainable contribution to reducing poverty in Ethiopia, one of the world’s poorest countries. Based on the experience and contacts acquired, a new country programme has now been developed. For the first time, the programme for Ethiopia covers a period of five years (2008-2012), thus increasing predictability on a local, regional, and national level while enhancing the self-responsibility of the players for the money provided", said State Secretary Hans Winkler after the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the new country programme together with the Ethiopian State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mekonnen Manyazewal.

"The new country programme now concentrates on two partial programmes - health care in the Somali region, and rural development and food safety in North Gondar. Both areas are part of the current Ethiopian national development plan, with which Ethiopia is trying to achieve the Millennium targets. Today, Austria held out the prospect of 28.5 million Euros in aid in form of projects and programmes for the next five years in direct cooperation with the Ethiopian Government", stressed the State Secretary.

Ethiopia has been a priority country for Austrian Development Cooperation since 1993. For the purposes of the new country programme, the previous measures in North Gondar were combined in a project for the protection of natural resources. In the Somali region, the programme will focus on the support of the regional health authority and on the improvement of health care in eight selected districts.

Contact:

Federal Ministry for
European and International Affairs
Katharina Swoboda
Office of the State Secretary
Tel.: ++43 (0) 50 1150-3469
E-Mail: katharina.swoboda@bmeia.gv.at